News Release
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday Jan. 24, 2003
|
Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343
|
HHS SECRETARY AUTHORIZES SMALLPOX VACCINATION PROGRAM
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today signed a declaration required under federal law allowing states to begin the smallpox vaccination program. The Secretary's declaration outlines the reasons for the program, the specific actions to be taken and officially goes into effect today.
"Today's action sends a clear message that the administration is committed to implementing its smallpox vaccination program that will ready medical response teams, which can protect the American people in the event of a smallpox attack," Secretary Thompson said.
Under the program, health care workers who volunteer for the smallpox response teams will be vaccinated first so they will be able to vaccinate others and provide critical services in the days following an attack. HHS has worked in partnership with state and local public health officials along with thousands of participating hospitals to mobilize response teams across the nation.
Federal law under the Public Health Service (PHS) Act as amended by the Homeland Security Act outlines the requirement for this type of declaration where public health countermeasures such as the smallpox vaccination program are determined to be needed.
Earlier this week, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) delivered kits with enough smallpox vaccine and vaccinator needles to cover 21,600 public health and health care workers to Connecticut, Nebraska, Vermont and Los Angeles County. As CDC receives requests for smallpox vaccine from a state, the orders are forwarded to the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile for processing and shipment.
The declaration went on display at noon today at the Federal Register and will be published on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
###
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are
available at
http://www.hhs.gov/news.
Last Revised: January 24, 2003
|